


Long Night

by yodepalma



Series: The Path of Flame [5]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Established Relationship, Fluff, I didn't plan this, M/M, Not Beta Read, Parental Roy Mustang, SO MUCH FLUFF, Sick Harry, Sick Roy, Sickfic, Side Story, but I then I was sick, sick ed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2015-12-01
Packaged: 2018-05-03 18:08:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5301545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yodepalma/pseuds/yodepalma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edward Elric was a godsend, and Roy would be willing to fight anyone who said otherwise. Just as soon as he had the energy to get out of bed again.</p><p>(Now with bonus sick Ed! Because insomnia.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't planning to write this, but then for a glorious hour or so I forgot how badly my throat hurt because I was too busy enjoying Ed's terrible bedside manners. So if anybody else isn't feeling well right now, I guess I just hope that this makes you feel better?
> 
> Set, uh, probably six or seven years after the prologue of _The Path of Flame_. Roy and Ed are still kind of new to this "being in love" business. :3

_Long Night_

Edward Elric was a godsend, and Roy would be willing to fight anyone who said otherwise. Just as soon as he had the energy to get out of bed again.

“You’re such a fucking child,” Ed said unceremoniously as he re-entered the room. “I honestly don’t know who’s more dramatic: you or your son.”

Roy opened his eyes just far enough to glare at the brat, but they fluttered shut again almost instantly as Ed turned over the cold compress on Roy’s head. He honestly couldn’t stop himself from moaning gratefully, probably proving Ed’s point, but he didn’t care as long as he had the cloth cooling him down. Gentle fingers pushed some of Roy’s sweat-soaked hair behind his equally sweaty ear, so Roy opened his eyes again and gave Ed a weak smile. Ed was smiling back at him, eyes filled with a warmth he only used to show to Alphonse, and Roy nearly forgot how sick he was for a moment as he marveled at the path his life had taken. A year ago he would’ve sworn Ed hated him, had despaired of ever seeing a smile or trust directed at him, but despite all odds he’d ended up with his former subordinate happily living with him.

“I love you,” Roy said helplessly, and his smile strengthened a little when Ed blushed and looked away, still uncomfortable with the intimacy.

“Yeah, you too,” he muttered in the tone every embarrassed teenager has used since time immemorial. Roy really, really wanted to kiss him, but strongly suspected he’d get an automail knee for his trouble.

“How’s Harry?” he asked instead, even though he knew Ed would have informed him if his son had taken a turn for the worse.

“Sleeping,” Ed returned with a shrug. “Not very well, but that cough medicine knocked him out. Wish the same could be said of you. Just hope his fever doesn’t get any worse—I’m not looking forward to taking him to the hospital without you.”

“I stay awake just to be contrary,” Roy said seriously. Ed snorted, looking as if he fully believed Roy did just that.  “And I think his fever will break tonight. You get a knack for predicting these things after enough years.”

“Right,” Ed agreed, unimpressed and disbelieving. “Well, you need anything else before I ring the Hughes’s and check up on Al?”

Roy barely managed a shadow of his usual grin, but it was entirely worth the effort when Ed blushed again and muttered “pervert” as he left the room.

Roy sighed and slouched back in his pillows to settle in for a long night.

@-`---

He was woken from a sound sleep a few hours later by the sound of a terrified scream. He heard a muffled thunk and cursing from the other side of the bed, but ignored Ed entirely as he rushed for Harry’s room. Ed was yelling for him to “get the fuck back in bed, Mustang!” but he couldn’t; if something was happening to Harry, he was going to make whoever was in his son’s room regret it. Even if he had to strangle that person with his bare hands.

He skidded to a stop in the doorway to Harry’s room, hanging on to the doorjamb as he quickly looked around the room. He almost collapsed in relief when he saw that nothing was amiss.

“Fuck, Mustang,” Ed panted behind him. “You move fast for a sick man.”

He spared Ed a brief glare, but any retort he could’ve made was cut off when he heard the unmistakable sound of a sob from Harry’s bed.

“Harry, what’s wrong?” Roy asked, voice a harsh whisper as he forced his shaking legs to carry him across the room. The second he collapsed on the bed, Harry launched himself into Roy’s arms, burying his face in his chest and shaking. Roy wrapped his arms firmly around his son, kissing the top of his head.

“Did you have a bad dream?” he asked quietly. Harry nodded jerkily, but still didn’t say anything. “Do you want to talk about it?” This time Harry shook his head, fervently, and Roy wouldn’t be surprised if he was still too terrified to talk. “Do you want me to stay here with you until you fall asleep again?” Harry nodded again, tightening his grip on Roy as if he could burrow himself closer. Roy groaned a little as he dragged reluctant feet onto Harry’s bed, but managed a smile for his son when the boy looked up at him in concern.

“I ought to take a picture of this,” Ed said drily. “And show it ‘round the office next time Havoc and Breda bitch about what a hardass you are.” But then he was tucking the covers around the two of them, running a gentle hand over Harry’s hair and pressing dry lips to Roy’s forehead, and Roy couldn’t bring himself to be annoyed.

“I’ll go get your compress and some water,” Ed continued softly. Roy made a noncommittal hum of acknowledgement, eyes closed already, and was asleep again by the time Ed left the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed caught Roy's flu. He's a little bit upset about this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is pretty much a sequel to the story where Roy and Harry were sick, so I figured I'd just add it as a second chapter. Yay?
> 
>  _The Children of Snakes_ will probably be started, uh, next week. Because I'm working nine days straight while recovering from my own illness, so actually writing anything is a wee bit difficult right now. =/

“Darling,” Roy’s voice called softly from the other side of the fog filling his head, and Ed moaned back. He didn't know where Roy came up with this ridiculous habit of giving Ed pet names, but the man’s so sappy he's decided to roll with it, mostly out of fear that whatever he came up with next would be _worse_. He's not appreciating the names right now, though. He doesn't feel like anyone's “darling” or “dear” or even “love”; he feels like death.

“Darling,” Roy said again, a little louder this time, and with a tinge of worry that Ed would feel guilty for not responding to. “I know I'm late, but I brought you medicine, and soup from that place you like.”

Ed moaned again, a little more pathetically, but then obligingly rolled onto his back. Opening his eyes was another matter entirely, as they currently felt like they had tiny anvils weighing them down, but he managed to pry his eyelids apart eventually. He stared blearily up at Roy’s blurry face, which smiled at him. A hand gently smoothed Ed’s bangs out of his eyes, and the only reason they stayed there was that they were caked with sweat.

“Hello, beautiful,” Roy purred, which was so many levels of bullshit just then that Ed wouldn't have had the words to describe it even if he could think clearly. He helped Ed maneuver himself into a seated position, then left Ed panting against the headboard as he retrieved whatever passed as medicine in his crazy head. He held a tiny plastic cup up to Ed’s lips, patiently waited for Ed to make the disgusted expression that he couldn't repress—he wouldn't drink this shit at all if he thought he'd be able to swallow a pill—and then tipped the disgusting syrup into Ed’s mouth. Ed swallowed it painfully, smacking his lips together a few times as if it'd get the taste out of his mouth, and then glared balefully up at his boyfriend.

“I hate you,” he rasped, voice barely over a whisper.

“I know, love,” Roy said gently, soothingly, and Ed was _so_ going to smack him as soon as he could lift his arm again. “But you're the one who decided he could take care of me and Harry because you've, and I quote, never been sick a day in your life.”

“Fuck you,” Ed said.

“Not in this state, darling,” Roy replied, one perfect eyebrow lifting in amusement. “I don't think it would be a pleasant experience for either one of us.”

Ed wished, spitefully, that he could get Roy sick again with this flu. Bastard would deserve it.

“Do you feel up to eating some soup now?” Roy asked. “Or will it still come back up with a vengeance?”

“Gimmee,” Ed barely muttered.

Roy smiled and presented the little Styrofoam bowl to Ed, along with a plastic spoon. Ed eyed it hungrily, not having eaten since the last time he threw up, and Roy smiled fondly down at him. It was fucking humiliating having Roy spoon-feed him, but somehow still a ton better than making an impossibly huge mess attempting to feed himself, so Ed put up with it with only the barest grumbling.

When Ed was done, Roy held a glass of water to his lips, which was so cold and refreshing Ed could have cried from happiness. Then he helped Ed lie down again, tucking the covers in around him, and gave Ed the barest hint of a kiss.

“Love you,” Ed murmured sleepily, ready to pass out again. He didn't need to see Roy’s smile as he leant over and kissed Ed once on his heavy eyelid and once on his jaw.

“I love you too, Ed,” he whispered. “Get some sleep and recover soon, love.”

Ed made a sleepy noise of agreement, then raised an uncoordinated arm at Roy until he could get his weak grip on the front of his uniform jacket.

“Stay,” he whispered. Roy smiled again as he pulled away to throw off most of his uniform. Ed watched him, wishing like hell that he wasn't too sick to enjoy the view, then turned to curl up in Roy’s arms when the taller man slid under the covers with him.

“Forever,” Roy said softly, the gigantic ball of sap, and Ed just barely managed to make a contented sound before he drifted back into an uncomfortable sleep.


End file.
